June 13, 1896,] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
473 
WILD PIGEONS IN THE NORTHWEST. 
Victoria, B. C, May 28.— Editor Forest and Stream: 
During my thirty-four years' residence on this coast I 
have never known the passenger pigeon (Ectopistosmigra- 
toria) to be taken either in Washington or British Colum- 
bia. The band-tailed pigeon (Columba fasciata) is a 
regular summer resident both here and in Washington, 
and this year has appeared in considerable numbers in 
the neighborhood of this city, our markets being pretty 
well stocked with them at the present time. The two 
birds are very much different. John Fannin. 
Tacoma, Wash., May 27.— Editor Forest and Stream: 
The moment that I read your valued comments upon my 
observations upon the wild pigeons of this coast I realized 
that I had not been as careful as I should have been in 
looking up the natural history of these interesting birds 
before classing them with the Eastern variety. But it is 
oyer twenty-five years since I have handled the wild 
pigeons of the East, and the close resemblance to the 
bird of the Alleghanies, as I remembered it, quite dis- 
armed me. I rang up an old Wisconsin market hunter 
who has netted thousands of wild pigeons and read my 
article and the editor's note to him. He asked me if I had 
not noticed that "these pigeons out here coo, while the 
Eastern ones cackle." I confessed to forgetting the dis- 
tinction. 
I met twelve of my associates who had lived in the East 
in prehistoric times, and "knew all about wild pigeons." 
Each said in turn, in answer to my interrogatory, that 
"of course they are the same." 
Thus encouraged I extended my walk to a market 
where game is sold, and was delighted to find a coop of 
wild pigeons netted over in the Gray's Harbor district and 
jUBt brought in to the city. I immediately bought a pair 
alive and repaired to my office again to re-read the foot- 
note called out by my article, in the light of an enlarged 
experience and with the subject under discussion actually 
in my hands. Permit me to acknowledge my obligations 
to you for having called my attention to that fact. Just 
to show you that you are absolutely correct in your de- 
scription of our pigeon, I have had the taxidermist pre- 
pare one of these pigeon skins, and will send to you by 
' mail within a day or two. The moral of this story and 
sequel is that thirteen errors don't make one truth, and 
that there are radical points of difference in varieties of 
the same species that are easily overlooked, especially 
when a fellow has to depend upon memory. 
Another point worth considering is the educational 
value of Fobest and Stream. Through its columns I 
have learned many an interesting and valuable lesson. 
And so I think have we all. J. A. Beebe, M. D. 
AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL 
HISTORY. 
The report of the President of the American Museum 
of Natural History has just been received. It is a stout 
volume of about 100 pages and is illustrated with a num- 
ber of plates giving views of the museum building and of 
some of the halls. Besides the annual report of the Pres- 
ident, the volume contains the Act of Incorporation of 
the Museum, its contract with the Department of Public 
Parks, the Constitution and By-laws and a List of the 
Members for the year 1895. 
The year just closed has been for this Museum one of 
marked activity in the development of the collections 
and the educational work of the Museum. The receipts 
from the city and from the endowment fund, which 
amounted to nearly $140,000, having proved insufficient 
for the keeping of the Museum running and the increase 
and development of the collections, the deficiency of 
nearly $7,900 was met by a special subscription from the 
trustees, thus enabling the Museum to commence the 
Current year free of debt. During the year 1895 an act 
was passed by the Legislature authorizing the State to 
erect an extension and authorizing an additional grant 
of money by the Board of Estimate and Apportionment. 
The new wing, which is now in process of erection, will, 
it is hoped, be completed within the year. 
Numerous expeditions have been kept in the field by 
;he Museum and the results of these have been important 
idditions to the collections in various branches. An ex- 
>edition in Peru under the direction of Mr. Adolph F. 
Bandelier has been so successful that arrangements were 
made tn continue his work until the close of 1896. Dur- 
ng 1895 he sent the Museum ninety cases of objects ex- 
3avated either by himself or under his personal supervi- 
iion, and supplemented this material with photographs, 
□aaps and charts of great importance. Expeditions in 
Honduras, Sumatra and Mexico have produced good 
results in the departments of Archaeology, Ethnology and 
Zoology. .One of the trustees of the Museum contributed 
i considerable sum toward the expense of the Peary 
Relief Expedition, and a collector who accompanied the 
expedition on behalf of the Museum brought back a val- 
uable lot of birds and mammals. 
Much has been done by the Department of Public In- 
itruotion chiefly in the way of lectures delivered to the 
.eachers of the public schools by Professor A. S. Bick- 
nore, but besides this lectures were given by members 
)f the Linnaean Society and by others. 
Among the collections received during the year 1895 
which deserve special mention was the gift of the Wil- 
Jam Dutcher collection of over 2,000 specimens of Long 
Island birds, contributed by the Linneean Society of New 
Sbrk. The huge elephant Tip and the moose group 
were prepared during the year. The preparation of a 
group of mountain sheep and one of mountain goats are 
in contemplation. In the Department of Vertebrate 
Palaeontology the most important additions were the 
Oope collection of fossils, said to consist of 10,000 speci- 
mens. Besides these many tertiary fossils have been 
collected by expeditions sent out for the Museum. In the 
Department of Anthropology much has been done under 
Dr. Putnam and Dr. Boaz, and we may expect before 
long to see collections exhibited in this department 
which can only be equaled in this country by those at 
Washington. The present condition of the Museum ap- 
pears to be most satisfactory. 
Partridge Budding- and Diving. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
I notice in yoUr number of May 9 an inquiry by J. 
H. D. wherein he wonders why it is that among the 
numerous wi iters in Forest and Stream they have never 
mentioned the habit of the partridge as to budding and 
diving. 
In my boyhood days I had time and opportunities to 
study the nature and habits of that bird very closely. 
Yes, the partridge or ruffed grouse is a budder, also a 
diver, provided that he has deep, light snow to dive into. 
The partridge is the only bird that I know of that can 
live on browse. It is when the snow lies deep they for- 
age on the treetops, where the birch and the cherry seem 
to be their favorite buds. But in the absence of birch 
or black cherry they will work on various other kinds of 
treetops, and are very fond of the apple tree buds when- 
ever they find them near the woods. The budding is 
done mostly late in the day. 
Many »re the times I have watched to see them mount 
the treetops, which generally they would do about 4 
P. M. 
They don't start up with a hum, as though they were 
shot from a catapult, as they do when started by a man 
or dog; but very quietly they rise up from one limb to 
another on a slanting ascent, and while I have been 
watching under the birches to see a half dozen or more 
one after another getting into the treetops, perhaps a 
dozen more have gotten up from the other side without 
my notice. Very tame they were where they had not 
been disturbed by much shooting. After sunset, and 
when twilight sets in, they begin to dive off, one at a time, 
with spread wings and never a flop. 
I have never found any of those birds that were crusted 
under. Below that they can generally dig out. But in 
the latter part of winter there may be several weeks that 
they can't dig in, in which case they invariably roost on 
the lower limbs of small hemlocks or any other evergreen 
tree, as I have never known them to roost high. 
Antler. 
The Zoological Society. 
At a meeting of the executive committee of the New 
York Zoological Society > held June 3, a body of ten 
scientific men was chosen to be known as the Scientific 
Council and to act as an Advisory Board with the Direc- 
tor of the Garden. The council consists of Messrs. Wil- 
liam T. Hornaday, chairman, director New York Zoolog- 
ical Park ; Madison Grant, secretary ex-ojficio, secretary 
New York Zoological Society; Professor J. A. Allen, 
curator of mammalogy and ornithology, American Mu- 
seum of Natural History; Frank M. Chapman, assistant 
curator of mammalogy and ornithology, American Mu- 
seum of Natural History; Professor Henry F. Osborn, 
Da Costa professor of zoology, Columbia University; 
Professor William Stratford, College of the City of New 
York; Professor W. Gilman Thompson, New York Uni- 
versity; Dr. Tarleton H. Bean, superintendent New York 
Aquarium; Dr. George Bird Grinnell, editor Forest and 
Stream; William A. Stiles, park commissioner, city of 
New York, editor of Garden and Forest, It was also 
decided to send Mr. Hornaday to Europe to inspect the 
best zoological gardens of Germany, Belgium, Holland, 
France and England, to make special studies in the light- 
ing, ventilating and heating of the large buildings for 
animals. 
Animals for a Game Preserve. 
Mr. Charles Payne, of Wichita, Kan., was recently in 
this city, having come on with a shipment of wild animals 
intended for a game preserve. He brought with him 
thirty-eight deer, 117 squirrels and twenty-two jack rab- 
bits. These are all to be turned loose in a game preserve, 
the owner of which is not named, but which is situated 
about 100 mileB west of New York, in a spur of the Alle- 
ghany Mountains. 
%mt{0 mid 0mu 
A RABBIT HUNT IN IOWA. 
Iowa. — Editor Forest and Stream: I had noticed the 
symptoms coming on for some time. There was no mis- 
taking it, it was the same old disease. I could not lay 
that feeling of discontent, restlessness and general dis- 
satisfaction to anything else. My digestion was perfect, 
my credit good, my wife had not given me any curtain 
lectures — in fact, everything was running as smoothly as 
possible; still I was not happy. 
Reader, if you are a lover of the rod and gun, I think 
you can readily diagnose my case; and though you may 
not be a physician, I believe you will agree with me that 
there was but one remedy for my ailment — that is, a good 
hunt — and that remedy is a most pleasant one for me to 
take. 
Christmas eve there was a heavy fall of snow— that set- 
tled the matter. The next morning I shouldered my gun 
and started out. Turk, my old black setter, looked up 
appealingly, then whined and begged as only a bird dog 
can beg, but it was of no use. No, Turk, you cannot go. 
Down, sir I And almost heartbroken the old fellow 
sought his place behind the hard coal base burner; for, 
be it understood, Turk is a privileged character, and has 
fully earned the privilege of occupying a place behind 
the stove. My reason for not allowing the dog to go with 
me is that he is twelve years old, and every time he gets 
wet and cold he has an attack of rheumatism. 
It was about 10 A. M. when I started out to the west of 
town on foot. A walk of about one and a half miles 
brought me to the old H. farm. Here I scouted the corn- 
field thoroughly, but not a sign of a rabbit could I find. 
It is evident the bunnies have not stirred from their 
hiding places since the snowfall; probably to-morrow 
will be a better day for hunting them. 
Turning south, I plodded slowly along through the 
newly fallen snow. How white and beautiful the earth 
is in her garment of white ! How quiet the world seems, 
with not a living thing in sight ! The morning air, so 
fresh and invigorating, and the beauties of nature are 
alone sufficient to repay one for a long tramp on a quiet 
winter day. As I leisurely make my way along, old and 
familiar landmarks bring back to my memory events 
that happened in the many hunts of the past which I 
have made in this same locality. 
On this same section of land, years ago, before the 
drain tile came into use in central Iowa, have I slain 
many & mallard, and there is not a forty-acre tract of 
land within a circumference of five miles on which I 
have not flushed and killed that king of the "Western 
prairies, the pinnated grouse. It makes my blood tingle 
now as I think of the many, many times I have stood 
behind my well-trained dog, as, like an image of stone he 
stood, with nose and tail outstretched, waiting for me to 
flush the unseen game. The true sportsman and philoso- 
pher can derive happiness in thoughts of friends and 
events of bygone days. 
Just over there, along that willow hedge, M. J. Smith 
and myself had one of the finest afternoons of quail 
shooting that it has ever been my good fortune to enjoy. 
That was three years ago, and M. J. Smith, as true a 
sportsman as ever read Forest and Stream, has "passed 
over the river" to the happy hunting groands. I never 
pass that old bodge without thinking of him, one of my 
best friends. During his last few months of sickness, 
when he had to give up shooting, Forest and Stream 
was a great comfort to him, as I suppose it is to many 
another invalid sportsman. 
Even the thoughts of those who have gone before us 
ofttimes bring a gleam of sunshine into our lives. 
But hark! from the south I hear the report of a gun; 
there it is again and again. Evidently some one is more 
fortunate than myself, as I have not yet seen anything in 
the way of game. 
Well, here is something interesting. The fresh tracks 
in the snow indicate that a large covey of prairie chick- 
ens have been here not more than an hour ago. It is the 
close season for chickens now, so I leave the gun on my 
shoulder, but from the hunter's instinct follow the tracks. 
After walking about 100yds. I notice the scalloped im- 
prints of the tips of a pair of wings in the snow — evidence 
that one of the birds had taken wing. Walking on a 
short distance, I see numerous scalloped imprints in the 
snow, and then the tracks come to an end. About 30yds. 
further on are the tracks of a man, and so I read on the 
fresh white page of nature's book that about fifty prairie 
chickens have been feeding here this morning en the few 
ears of corn which had been overlooked in husking, when 
a man, probably the one I had just heard shooting, 
flushed them. 
Crossing over to the west side of the field, so I will not 
be hunting over the same ground which the . man who 
preceded me has been over, I soon discover fresh rabbit 
tracks. Following the tracks about 50yds., I come to a 
round hole in the snow, and as no tracks lead away from 
the hole, I am certain Br'er Rabbit is at home. Bringing 
the gun down to a "ready," I gently stir the snow with 
my foot, when out pops Br'er Rabbit; but on account of 
the deep soft snow I have to wait for him to get to a suit- 
able distance before shooting. Then the gun comes to 
my shoulder, a glance across the barrels, a slight pull on 
the trigger, a sharp report, and I will have rabbit for din- 
ner to-morrow. 
In about ten minutes' walk I see more rabbit tracks, 
another bole in the snow, and I soon have another rabbit. 
After a short walk there are more tracks, another hole, 
and of course I will soon have still another rabbit. Gently 
I stir the snow— out he goes. Poor fellow 1 1 have to wait 
for him to get far enough away so the shot will not tear 
him too badly. There, 30yds, is about right; bang! But 
just before I pulled the trigger he dodged behind a bunch 
of corn stalks, made a sudden turn, and I missed him — 
all because I was too sure of him. Before I could fire 
again he was behind a willow hedge, then into a tile 
drain and safe under the ground. 
A half mile further south, and I arrive at the place 
where I had felt sure I would have some good shooting; 
but the fresh tracks of a man around the brush heaps 
furnish more reading matter for me in nature's book. 
Those shots which I heard about a half hour ago were 
fired here; some other fellow got my cake. Sitting down 
on a pile of wood, I reach back into my game Docket and 
get out the lunch which my better half had put up for 
me. The butter on the bread and the meat are frozen, 
what of that? I have the most delicious sauce man ever 
had, a hunter's appetite. After lunch I start for home, - 
and on the way get another rabbit. Within about a mile 
from home I get a chance to ride and am soon home. 
Perhaps some persons would think three rabbits very 
small pay for a four hours' walk in the deep snow, but to 
me the game is not the only consideration. The outdoor 
exercise, the fresh, invigorating air, the beauties of na- • 
ture, and the leaving behind of the cares of life for a few 
hours are to me of priceless value. I firmly believe that 
a love of field sports and an occasional gratification of 
that passion would cure the worst case of dyspepsia in 
the country, and cause a man who is subject to "blues" 
to face many of the trials and troubles of life with a 
braver heart and firmer resolution. John C. Briggs. 
CALIBER CONCLUSIONS. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
In your issue of Jan. 11 last I sought information re- 
garding the most suitable caliber and ammunition for big 
game hunting. The replies have been numerous and sent 
in by practical hunters and woodsmen, and their conclu- 
sions have been reached only as the result of actual expe- 
rience afield. Personally I thank each and all of them 
for their great kindness in so carefully consideririg my 
request. As a brief resume I draw the following conclu- 
sions: 
From nineteen replies there is one who prefers exclu- 
sively a .50-caliber, two who say a .45 or ,50, nine who 
chose a .45, one a .44, two a .40, three a .38, one a .35, 
and wherever a ,30-cal. is mentioned it is condemned as 
a "crochet needle" gun and wholly unsuitable for the 
purpose of large game hunting, and one writer does not 
consider it worthy for target purposes. From the above, 
the large calibers are clearly the choice of the writers', 
and these men are principally moose hunters, and to- 
gether with the large caliber they want an enormous 
load of powder— 100 to 150grs,— to propel a solid soft 300 
to 500gr. bullet. 
With this arm and ammunition, up to a distance of 100 
to 200yds., the large quarry, if fairly hit, is smashed into 
butchers' meat on the Bpot. thereby avoiding a weary and 
uncertain chase after a suffering animal. This conclusion 
was the one I theoretically arrived at in a letter of in- 
quiry when I wrote that "the large majority of big game 
are killed nearer than 100yds. off; and if this be true, and 
the above theories are correct, the larger caliber and soft 
bullet would be the surer and most humane destroyer." 
The objections to these big guns appear to be their 
weight on a long tramp, the greater recoil from their en- 
ormous loads of powder and their inaccuracy at distances 
beyond 100yds. Yet in spite of all' these objections, if I 
were to go after moose, caribou or grizzly, I would want 
one of these guns. 
